Caladium plant named &#39;RESTLESS HEART&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Caladium  plant named ‘Restless Heart’, characterized by its intermediate height and upright plant habit; leaf petioles upright to outwardly leaning with development; vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate; fancy type leaves that are very dark green in color with red-colored venation and interveinal areas that are reddish pink in color with random red orange and green coalescing spots and splotches; and petioles that are tan green and distally, tan pink in color.

Botanical designation: Caladium X hortulanum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘RESTLESS HEART’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Caladium plant, botanically known as Caladium X hortulanum, commercially referred to as a fancy leaf-type Caladium and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Restless Heart’.

The objective of the Inventor's breeding program is to create new Caladium plants that have uniform plant habit, exceptional container and garden performance and attractive and unique leaf coloration.

The new Caladium plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in April, 2010 in Avon Park, Fla. of Caladium X hortulanum ‘Red Flash’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with Caladium X hortulanum ‘Twist N' Shout’, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Caladium plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled outdoor nursery environment in Zolfo Springs, Fla. in September, 2011.

Asexual reproduction of the new Caladium plant by ‘chipping’ the tubers (cutting the tuber into segments with each segment containing an axillary bud and tuber cortical tissue) in a controlled outdoor nursery environment in Zolfo Springs, Fla. since April, 2012 has shown that the unique features of this new Caladium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Caladium have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Restless Heart’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Restless Heart’ as a new and distinct Caladium plant:

-   -   1. Intermediate in height and upright plant habit; leaf petioles         upright to outwardly leaning with development.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate.     -   3. Fancy type leaves that are very dark green in color with         red-colored venation and interveinal areas that are reddish pink         in color with random red orange and green coalescing spots and         splotches.     -   4. Petioles that are tan green and distally, tan pink in color.

Plants of the new Caladium differ primarily from plants of the female parent, ‘Red Flash’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Caladium are shorter than plants of ‘Red         Flash’.     -   2. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Red Flash’ differ in leaf         color as leaves of ‘Red Flash’ have red-colored venation and         interveinal areas with pink and white-colored spots and dark         green-colored borders.     -   3. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Red Flash’ differ in leaf         petiole color as leaf petioles of ‘Red Flash’ are red pink to         tan pink in color with darker-colored stipples, stripes and         tessellations.

Plants of the new Caladium differ primarily from plants of the male parent, ‘Twist N' Shout’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Caladium are denser than plants of ‘Twist         N' Shout’.     -   2. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Twist N' Shout’ differ in         leaf color as leaves of ‘Twist N' Shout’ are olive green in         color with green to coppery bronze-colored venation and coppery         orange-colored spots and blotches.     -   3. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Twist N' Shout’ differ in         leaf petiole color as leaf petioles of ‘Twist N' Shout’ are         green in color.

Plants of the new Caladium can be compared to plants of Caladium X hortulanum ‘Frieda Hemple’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Caladium differ primarily from plants of ‘Frieda Hemple’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Frieda Hemple’ differ in leaf         color as leaves of ‘Frieda Hemple’ are medium green in color         with bright red-colored centers and venation.     -   2. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Frieda Hemple’ differ in leaf         petiole color as leaf petioles of ‘Frieda Hemple’ appear to be         almost black in color.

Plants of the new Caladium can be compared to plants of Caladium X hortulanum ‘Postman Joyner’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Caladium differ primarily from plants of ‘Postman Joyner’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Postman Joyner’ differ in         leaf color as leaves of ‘Postman Joyner’ are dark green in color         with bright red-colored centers.     -   2. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Postman Joyner’ differ in         leaf petiole color as leaf petioles of ‘Postman Joyner’ are dark         olive green and dark brown appearing to be almost black in         color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Caladium plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Caladium plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Restless Heart’ in a container and grown in a shadehouse (tuber not de-eyed).

The photograph at the top of the second sheet is a comparison view of typical potted plants of the female parent, ‘Red Flash’ (right), ‘Restless Heart’ (center) and the male parent, ‘Twist N' Shout’ (left).

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet is a comparison view of typical potted plants of ‘Frieda Hemple’ (left), ‘Restless Heart’ (center) and ‘Postman Joyner’ (right).

The photograph at the top of the third sheet is a side perspective view of typical plants of ‘Restless Heart’ grown in an open field.

The photograph at the bottom of the third sheet is a close-up view of typical freshly-harvested tubers with roots and leaf petioles of ‘Restless Heart’.

The photograph at the top of the fourth sheet is a comparison view of typical plants of ‘Restless Heart’ grown in containers; the plant on the left has not had its tuber de-eyed and the plant on the right has had its tuber de-eyed prior to planting.

The photograph at the bottom of the fourth sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Restless Heart’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in 15-cm containers in a polypropylene-covered shadehouse (50% light reduction) in Avon Park, Fla. and plants grown in ground beds under full sunlight conditions in an outdoor nursery in Crewsville, Fla. The plants were grown under cultural practices typical of commercial shadehouse and outdoor nursery production. During the production of the shadehouse-grown plants, day temperatures ranged from about 28° C. to 33° C., night temperatures ranged from about 22° C. to 25° C. and light levels were about 8,000 foot-candles. During the production of the outdoor nursery-grown plants, day temperatures ranged from about 29° C. to 35° C., night temperatures ranged from about 23° C. to 26° C. and light levels ranged from about 10,000 to 12,000 foot-candles. Plants grown in the shadehouse were seven weeks old and plants grown in the outdoor nursery were eight months old when the photographs and the detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Caladium X hortulanum ‘Restless Heart’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Caladium X hortulanum ‘Red Flash’,             not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Caladium X hortulanum ‘Twist N'             Shout’, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By “chipping” the tubers.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About seven to ten days at             temperatures about 32° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two to three weeks at             temperatures about 24° C.         -   Tuber description (outdoor nursery-grown             plants).—Appearance: Multi-segmented; individual segments             irregularly elliptic to ovate in shape. Height: About             2.7 cm. Diameter: About 3.3 cm to 5.8 cm. Segment height:             About 1.5 cm to 2 cm. Segment diameter: About 2 cm. Texture:             Thick, starchy; somewhat brittle. Color: Epidermis,             freshly-harvested: Close to 199B and N199B. Epidermis,             dried: Close to 200A to 200B. Cortical tissue: Close to 1D             and 2D. Axillary buds: Close to N155C. Root description:             Thick, fleshy contractile roots with few lateral branches;             color, close to N155D. Rooting habit: Medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial; suitable as a potted plant             in containers 15-cm to 25-cm and suitable as a landscape             plant in shaded areas.         -   Plant and growth habit.—Intermediate in height and upright             plant habit; vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate;             potted plants in finished or saleable form in about seven             weeks after planting tubers; leaf petioles and leaves arise             from one or more growing points on tubers; petioles mostly             upright and outwardly leaning with development;             inflorescences held at the foliar plane on strong upright             scapes.         -   Plant height, from soil level to top of foliar plane,             shadehouse-grown potted plants.—About 29 cm to 33 cm.         -   Plant height, from soil level to top of inflorescences,             shadehouse-grown potted plants.—About 34.5 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread, shadehouse-grown potted             plants.—About 38 cm to 40 cm.         -   Number of shoots per plant, shadehouse-grown potted plants,             tubers not de-eyed.—About one to two develop per #1 tuber.         -   Number of shoots per plant, shadehouse-grown potted plants,             tubers de-eyed.—About three to four develop per #1 tuber.         -   Cataphylls, shadehouse-grown potted plants.—Length: About 6             cm to 10.3 cm. Width: About 1.2 cm to 1.6 cm. Shape:             Deltoid. Apex: Acute to acuminate. Base: Sheathing the stem.             Color, inner surface: Close to N155C; colors and patterns on             the outer surface are visible on the inner surface. Color,             outer surface: Close to N170D tinged with close to 182C and             182D; streaked and stippled with close to 195A tinged with             close to 177D, with development, color becoming closer to             199B. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement and type.—Alternate; simple; fancy type.         -   Length, shadehouse-grown potted plants.—About 18.4 cm to             24.3 cm.         -   Width, shadehouse-grown potted plants.—About 13.2 cm to 17.6             cm; when flattened, about 13.8 cm to 18 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Acute or cuspidate.         -   Base.—Sagittate to peltate.         -   Margin.—Entire; wavy with broad undulations.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Luster, upper surface.—Dull sheen.         -   Luster, lower surface.—Glaucous, dull sheen.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color, shadehouse-grown potted plants.—Developing and fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Background color: Close to             147A tinged with close to 139A or close to 147A tinged with             close to 183C. Margins: Close to 147A tinged with close to             139A or close to 147A tinged with close to 183C. Basal             notch: Close to 53B and 187C. Midvein and primary venation:             Close to 53B tinged with close to 53A. Areas surrounding             venation: Close to 53B. Interveinal areas: Close to 53B.             Random spots and splotches: Close to 47A, close to 47A             tinged with close to 181B, or close to 147A tinged with             close to 139A or close to 147A tinged with close to 183B to             183C. Developing and fully expanded leaves, lower surface:             Background color: Close to 191A. Margins: Close to 191A.             Basal notch: Close to 187C. Midvein: Close to 185B streaked             with close to 185A. Primary venation: Close to 185B. Leaf             center and areas surrounding venation: Close to 185B or             darker than 185B. Interveinal areas: Random sectors, close             to N170C tinged with close to 182D or close to 191A.         -   Petioles.—Aspect: Initially upright and straight; with             development, somewhat outwardly leaning; flexible. Length,             shadehouse-grown potted plants: About 19 cm to 23.2 cm.             Diameter, distally, shadehouse-grown potted plants: About             3.5 mm to 5 mm. Diameter, proximally, shadehouse-grown             potted plants: About 7 mm to 11 mm. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color, shadehouse-grown potted plants: Close to             147B with areas flushed with close to 182D and faintly             streaked, stippled and tessellated with close to 177D;             proximally, close to 148C and 148D tinged with close to 147B             and faintly streaked, stippled and tessellated with close to             147B; below the leaf and petiole junction, close to 51C to             51D and 49C variably tinged with close to 147D and streaked             and stippled with close to 185B. Wing length,             shadehouse-grown potted plants: About 3.3 cm to 4.2 cm. Wing             diameter, shadehouse-grown potted plants: About 6 mm.             Texture and luster, inner and outer surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous; dull. Wing color, shadehouse-grown potted plants:             Inner surface: Close to N155C; colors and patterns on the             outer surface are visible on the inner surface. Outer             surface: Close to 196C tinged with close to N170D and 148B,             streaked and stippled with close to 147A and tinged with             close to 200C. -   Inflorescence description: Inflorescences observed on seven week-old     shadehouse-grown potted plants.     -   -   Inflorescence arrangement.—Upright hooded spathes             surrounding a columnar spadix borne on a tall upright scape;             spadix with sessile, simple female and male flowers             separated into two zones; female flowers develop on the             proximal one-third of the spadix; male flowers develop on             the distal two-thirds of the spadix; sterile flowers develop             at junction of female and male flower zones; near this             junction, the spathe constricts and surrounds and encloses             the female flowers; spathe open and cupped around male             flowers.         -   Fragrance.—Night-fragrant; jasmine-like with camphor note.         -   Natural flowering season and flower longevity.—Plants of the             new Caladium typically flower during the spring in central             Florida; flowers develop about seven weeks after growth             commences; inflorescences last about three days before             fading; inflorescences persistent.         -   Spathe.—Length, overall: About 12.5 cm. Length, distal open             portion: About 8.3 cm. Length, proximal closed portion:             About 4.2 cm. Width, distal open portion: About 5.4 cm.             Depth, distal open portion: About 2.5 cm. Width, at             constriction: About 1.35 cm. Width, proximal closed portion:             About 2.6 cm. Shape, open portion: Elliptic. Apex: Acute to             acuminate. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire; smooth or slightly             reflexed. Texture, front and rear surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Luster, front surface: Dull sheen. Luster, rear             surface: Dull sheen; proximally, slightly glaucous. Color,             front surface: Distal open portion: Close to 155C with             sparse and fine speckles, close to 183B and 183C; with             development, color becoming closer to 199B. Proximal closed             portion: Close to 194A; towards the base, darkly flushed             with close to 187A; color does not change with development.             Color, rear surface: Distal open portion: Close to 155B;             center, flushed with close to 145C to 145D; color does not             change with development. Proximal closed portion: Close to             147B and 147C with diffuse mottling and flecks, close to             183C and 187B; color does not change with development.         -   Spadix.—Length, overall: About 9.4 cm. Length, male flower             zone: About 6.3 cm. Length, sterile zone: About 1.3 cm.             Length, female flower zone: About 1.8 cm. Diameter, male             flower zone: About 9 mm. Diameter, sterile flower zone:             About 6 mm. Diameter, female flower zone: About 8 mm. Shape:             Columnar, spindle-shaped. Apex: Acute. Base: Obtuse. Aspect:             Upright. Color, mature, male zone: Close to 11D. Color,             mature, sterile zone: Close to 158D. Color, mature, female             zone: Close to 158C. Male flowers: Quantity per spadix:             About 160. Shape: Obovate. Height: About 3 mm. Diameter:             About 2.8 mm. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close             to 9D. Female flowers: Quantity per spadix: About 158.             Shape: Obovate. Height: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Stigma color: Close to 158C. Ovary color: Close to 158C.         -   Scape.—Length: About 22 cm. Diameter: About 5.8 mm.             Strength: Sturdy; flexible. Aspect: Mostly erect. Texture             and luster: Smooth, glabrous; dull sheen; distally,             glaucous. Color: Close to 147B with areas flushed with close             to 182D and faintly streaked, stippled and tessellated with             close to 177D; towards the base, close to 148C and 148D             tinged with close to 147B and faintly streaked, stippled and             tessellated with close to 147B; just below spathe, close to             147D tinged with close to 51C to 51D and 49C and streaked             and stippled with close to 185B.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development have             not been observed on plants of the new Caladium. -   Disease & pest tolerance: Plants of the new Caladium have been     observed to have average tolerance to Pythium Root Rot and above     average tolerance to Xanthomonas Leaf Spot. Plants of the new     Caladium have not been observed to have resistance to pests and     other pathogens common to Caladium plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Caladium have been observed     to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from about 7° C. to about     40° C. and are suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 8A to 11. In cooler     zones, tubers can be “lifted” prior to first freeze and stored in a     cool dry environment overwinter for re-planting the following     spring. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Caladium plant named ‘Restless Heart’ as illustrated and described. 